So here is the scoop!
I haven't figured out how to maniputlate the order of my photos after I insert, but you see the before of my amazing Saddle Bag, Large in Rust. It has the little Coach cartouche that others have mentioned is likely mid '70s. It was a sweet deal on eBay, with over 40 watchers and somehow no one (except me) willing to pay over $100 for it. I won it at $93. These are the sellers photos that were very accurate. The big unknown was would the leather be the nice full weight, or would it be on the thin side. I was happy to find it was the nice, original full weight.
It was very clean outside and inside, except for what looked like a dried up, white piece of gum or candy that came out with no problem in the dunk. I gave it a thorough vacuum inside. I filled my kitchen sink with warm water and 1/2 ounce of Lexol Leather Cleaner (not Leather Therapy Leather Cleaner like I mentioned in a prior post). I put on disposable gloves as did not want to scratch this bag! For about 10 minutes I used a toothbrush over the inside suede and just ran my fingers on the smooth leather surface of the bag and strap. Usually I will dunk for 20 minutes and use my toothbrush on the smooth leather surface too. This is the oldest bag I have dunked and it already had a lot of color loss and wear. Since it was clean, given all the wear, I was okay with minimizing the soak time and contact.
I drained the water, rinsed the suds off and filled the sink with cool water and one cup of white vinegar (which I usually forget!), for about 5 minutes, running my hands over all the surfaces.
I let the water drain out of the sink and I let the bag drip dry for about 15 minutes upside down on the Lexol bottle. Then I put it flat on a big towel with a smaller towel inside. Since it was so worn/dry, after about an hour I put the first app of CPR , with my fingers wearing a glove. It was after dinner at this point. I let it lay flat. The next morning, I put another app of CPR on. It was starting to dry after just 12 hours. After dinner, I gently buffed with an old cotton t-shirt rag, very soft and then gave it a third app. At this point I hung it with shoestrings tied to the buckles with a small towel inside. It was mostly dry within 48 hours. The next day, more buffing and the 4th app of CPR after dinner. It was looking great. The strap got an additional app of CPR. On both the bag and strap, I was generous on the last two apps of CPR on the piping. I think I gave it a night off and the following night put on an app of Renapur. Which was just all tacky sticky with the warm weather. I tried to be a little light with it, but I wanted to thorough and not leave any spots undone and I ended up with what felt like a greased pig! I just took as much off as I could with a paper towel. It was all tacky wacky! I let it alone for 24 hours and then by this time I had found my brush and just took my time alternating between buffing with my cotton cloth and the brush and the tackiness dissipated.
And the result is . . . .
I haven't figured out how to maniputlate the order of my photos after I insert, but you see the before of my amazing Saddle Bag, Large in Rust. It has the little Coach cartouche that others have mentioned is likely mid '70s. It was a sweet deal on eBay, with over 40 watchers and somehow no one (except me) willing to pay over $100 for it. I won it at $93. These are the sellers photos that were very accurate. The big unknown was would the leather be the nice full weight, or would it be on the thin side. I was happy to find it was the nice, original full weight.
It was very clean outside and inside, except for what looked like a dried up, white piece of gum or candy that came out with no problem in the dunk. I gave it a thorough vacuum inside. I filled my kitchen sink with warm water and 1/2 ounce of Lexol Leather Cleaner (not Leather Therapy Leather Cleaner like I mentioned in a prior post). I put on disposable gloves as did not want to scratch this bag! For about 10 minutes I used a toothbrush over the inside suede and just ran my fingers on the smooth leather surface of the bag and strap. Usually I will dunk for 20 minutes and use my toothbrush on the smooth leather surface too. This is the oldest bag I have dunked and it already had a lot of color loss and wear. Since it was clean, given all the wear, I was okay with minimizing the soak time and contact.
I drained the water, rinsed the suds off and filled the sink with cool water and one cup of white vinegar (which I usually forget!), for about 5 minutes, running my hands over all the surfaces.
I let the water drain out of the sink and I let the bag drip dry for about 15 minutes upside down on the Lexol bottle. Then I put it flat on a big towel with a smaller towel inside. Since it was so worn/dry, after about an hour I put the first app of CPR , with my fingers wearing a glove. It was after dinner at this point. I let it lay flat. The next morning, I put another app of CPR on. It was starting to dry after just 12 hours. After dinner, I gently buffed with an old cotton t-shirt rag, very soft and then gave it a third app. At this point I hung it with shoestrings tied to the buckles with a small towel inside. It was mostly dry within 48 hours. The next day, more buffing and the 4th app of CPR after dinner. It was looking great. The strap got an additional app of CPR. On both the bag and strap, I was generous on the last two apps of CPR on the piping. I think I gave it a night off and the following night put on an app of Renapur. Which was just all tacky sticky with the warm weather. I tried to be a little light with it, but I wanted to thorough and not leave any spots undone and I ended up with what felt like a greased pig! I just took as much off as I could with a paper towel. It was all tacky wacky! I let it alone for 24 hours and then by this time I had found my brush and just took my time alternating between buffing with my cotton cloth and the brush and the tackiness dissipated.
And the result is . . . .
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to all here who post their processes, their wins, their misses and those who gab, support and hang out.
